【情非“德”已】J.J.Watt，下赛季咱还能不能愉快地谈恋爱了？

S.R.911

德州人有在选秀大会上前面轮次选择防守球员的习惯（传统？），要不是上赛季闹出的7200W美刀大笑话，在这个防守大年中，德州人也不至于交出两年（今年和明年）的首轮签位，火急火燎地在首轮摘下Deshaun-Clemson-黑人-弱版RG3-让舒指导脱粉-Watson作为球队新赛季（以及下赛季）的准主力四分卫。在这里，我们先不对Watson是否适合德州人的进攻体系进行研究和评价（因为po主我还没有去仔细翻阅关于Watson的相关资料），我们先来了解一下德州人的二轮秀Zach Cunningham。

经过第一天的血雨腥风，在选秀第二天，德州人还是首先作出了防守组补强的动作，在第二轮25位（总第57顺位）选择了线卫Zach Cunningham，这位球员身高6英尺3英寸，臂长34.375英寸，体重234磅，手掌长度9.25英寸。在新秀体测中，125英寸（3.175米）跳远和7.03秒的三锥折返跑是相当优秀的成绩，此外，他40码跑出了4.67秒，外加卧推15次。

让我们先来看看在选秀前，球探对他的评价。

优点：擒抱机器。总是渴望在每一档完成“首杀”。对于对方的进攻锋线有好的位置感，能够充分利用变速和身体变向来摆脱对方进攻锋线球员的钳制。移动速度快，擒抱半径广，一方面能够伸出手去对球造成破坏，另一方面具有出色的擒抱、制造掉球和抢得球权的能力。运动能力和防守意识让他能够轻松处理掉对方跑卫或者近端锋，即使是在传球防守中，也能快速阻止对方接球后的推进。

缺点：下盘力量稍弱导致接触后的平衡控制能力受限，手部动作往往需要肩部发力来支撑。习惯攻击持球者上部而不是下盘，导致过多地错失本该完成的擒抱。

让我们来看看Cunningham大学时期的一些个人表现。

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球队已经有了J.J.Watt、Clowney、Mercilus等一群冲传猛兽，以及McKinney、Cushing等防跑悍将，此时又选择了一名能够立即上场提供战力的防守线卫，而不是在第二轮为防守二线补强（毕竟走了A.J. Bouye和Demps，老了Joseph），相比是要立即将Cunningham派上场的，那到底应该把他放在什么位置？

如果作为OLB站在Mercilus的对侧，形成真正战斗力上的四人冲传，而不是之前三人冲传一人酱油，那画面简直美得不敢看——像Brady这样的老胳膊老腿，估计会被四人冲散架，爱国者在第四周就只好派上Brissett（啥？你问我Garopolo去哪里了？布朗啊。呸！）；像在第八周面对海鹰的OL，估计能让罗素单场持球跑动距离过百码（只不过几乎是横向跑动）。但似乎Cunningham的特点更多是防跑截停，而不是制造四分卫施压，所以，那如果作为ILB呢？

先插入一个和标题有关的话题。

黄金单身汉J.J.Watt的现任女友是Kealia Ohai，Kealia是Megan的亲妹妹，而Megan是Brian Cushing的老婆，Cushing又是Watt的队友。也就是说，如果Watt和Keali在民政局扯了结婚证，那么Watt和Cushing就是连襟关系了，Watt将来所生的孩子Lovely Watt，将与Cushing的儿女形成表亲戚关系。

复杂不？



噢，放错图了，应该是这张。



算了，我们还是来看看当年Cushing在选秀前，球探对他的评价。

优点：身体素质一流，在大学时期以强卫身份加盟USC，打过防守端锋、强侧线卫以及中线卫。直线速度快，转身灵活，既能向前擒抱防跑，又能后退防传。有阅读能力，既能够作为防守端锋或者突袭线卫对四分卫施压，又能够快速封堵对方的冲球路线。

缺点：拥有相对冗长的伤病史，更多地依赖身体素质而不是上肢力量来进行防守，有时过于激进反而给对方留出反切的机会。

从Cushing到目前为止的NFL职业生涯表现来看，健康的他确实非常厉害，但是伤病却让他不能够持续地待在球场上。非常有趣的是，当年McKinney在选秀之前，NFL官网球探给他匹配的模板正是Cushing。而且，稍显“讽刺”的是，对于McKinney的介绍，第一句话便是“2013和2014赛季首发了每场比赛”。接下来，让我们来看看McKinney在选秀前球探的评价。

优点：典型的内线卫，腿部和上肢力量充足，能够摆脱对方锋线球员的钳制，并能够快速封堵对方冲球线路。有敏锐的洞察力，总是能够在球的附近出现。

缺点：重心偏高导致变向稍缓，脚步不够灵活。在区域防传中显得能力不足，给对方接球球员过多的接球和跑动空间。

上赛季，在Cushing因伤缺阵期间，McKinney曾一度作为场上防守队长，接过耳机布置防守。在常规赛16场比赛中，McKinney完成了129次擒抱（79次独立擒抱）、5次擒杀、1次制造掉球、2次破坏传球。

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而相比于McKinney，Cushing在上赛季常规赛出场了13场，在擒抱（65次）、独立擒抱（38次）、擒杀（0次）、制造掉球（0次）、破坏传球（1次）等方面均略显逊色，没有一场比赛擒抱数上两位数的，亮点仅在第八周与雄狮的比赛中完成了七次独立擒抱。而McKinney在11和12周分别完成了8从独立擒抱，7次独立擒抱则有四次（第4、6、7、10周）。

对于德州人球队而言，一方面，McKinney在稳步成长，另一方面，Cushing在渐渐失去状态。同时，考虑到Cushing的伤病问题，选择Cunningham目前来看是个相当不错的操作。

Cushing的合同要到2020年才到期，经过2017赛季，相信Cunningham在Cushing的“传帮带”下能够快速成长，然后球队在2018赛季之前裁掉Cushing，为球队腾出工资帽空间，为其他球员的续约（Hopkins等，理论上有27位球员2018年合同到期），以及可能再次发生的四分卫交易，留出薪资和操作空间。具体来说，如果在2018年6月1日前裁掉Cushing，则可以为2018赛季的工资帽留出8.5M空间，同时留下1.2M死钱。如果激进一点，在2017年6月1日前裁掉，则留下4.2M死钱和约5.11M工资帽空间；在2017年6月1日后裁掉，则2017和2018年分别留下死钱约2.8M和约1.4M死钱，为2017赛季留出约6.52M空间。

这就是NFL，这就是生意。

好了，再回到标题。如果Cushing被裁而加盟将会与德州人交手的球队，到时候，Cushing和Watt这对连襟虽然不会在球场上直接对话，但是，Ohai和Megan到底是一起支持Texans还是Cushing’s Team，或者是各自支持自己的老公（男友），将成为一个头疼的问题。姐妹俩手牵手去球场看球，难道还要分开座位买票？包厢，嗯，包厢是个不错的地方。

所以，一边是亲姐姐，一边是真男友，还有一边是Houston Dash球队，都说女人善变，下赛季，Ohai还能不能好好地和Watt谈恋爱了？

那么最后的问题来了：Cunningham来了，Cushing什么时候被裁？

atu

生意是生意，工作是工作，恋爱是恋爱。。

nptb

lovely watt…很和谐嘛……
二队的选秀操作这些年来跟一队整体上差不多啊，奥布莱恩也算是能拿的住人的教练，可惜缺一个布雷迪不要紧，最起码有一个山姆布拉福德之类的也行，然而并没有……
都说进攻拿票房，防守拿冠军，可是没有一点进攻的防守什么也拿不了～而且这些年你德的四分卫感觉一年不如一年…
至于谈恋爱，妹子胸那么大，脑袋肯定很灵光的，不用担心。

tsui5665

他的四分卫问题还是最大的短板啊。防守组还是相对让人放心的

greatszh

德州人？可惜了肉沫一把好刀。。。。

fredrick17

敢不敢让大丁丁进一次超级碗

archerwin

防守再好，进攻拿了门票再说吧

coimbrawu

根据Walter football选秀之后的采访，Cunningham选秀顺位下滑是因为很多球队觉得他太瘦了，骨架撑不起他的体重，很可能易受伤，他在大学里非常优秀的shed block到了NFL可能会变成一个弱点，防跑会从一个优点变成一个弱点，但是德州人有McKinney，3-4的体系非常适合他。而不少人觉得虽然他很多错失擒抱，但是这可以修正

During the 2016 college football season, the most productive and impactful linebacker in the nation was Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham. While Alabama's Reuben Foster had a bigger name and received more awards, Cunningham produced more than Foster did and carried his defense as Foster had tons of NFL talent surrounding him. Cunningham made some huge game-changing plays that led to Vanderbilt pulling off upsets to beat Ole Miss and Georgia. He totaled 125 tackles with 16.5 for a loss, three passes batted and two forced fumbles on the season. Cunningham (6-3, 234) showed nice speed and athleticism in pre-draft workouts. Many were projecting Cunningham to be a first-round pick, but in the 2017 NFL Draft, he slid to the back half of the second round.

According to sources, Cunningham slid for a few reasons. The first and most important was concern about him having a thin lower body. Some teams felt that Cunningham would have a hard time holding up and staying healthy because of his lean-boned body going against NFL front lines. They thought he could be prone to a lot of annoying, nagging injuries that can come from players trying to add quick weight when they don't have the natural build to do it. Missing tackles was another criticism, but scouts across the league said Cunningham had impressive tape and was a good player. The question was on whether he would translate to the next level.

In our pre-draft scouting report, one team scout from a franchise in the market for linebacker had this to say about Cunningham, "I worry at his current size and mass holding vs. the run. He has the frame to be 245, so hopefully he can get there. He's so narrow-trunked and thin-legged, just not much growth potential in lower half to indicate a guy who'll ever be an explosive take-on player. His weight is all bone. That being said I like Zach. More of an Eagle front Sam or 3-4 Will linebacker to me as far as maximizing his skill set, reducing the number of blocks taking on offensive linemen for him. He'll handle tight ends and fullbacks fine."

The Houston Texans ended Cunningham's fall, which was a great landing spot for him. Sources from other teams said that was a perfect fit for Cunningham to pan out in the NFL and overcome some of the concerns. The Texans' 3-4 defense already has one of the best young linebackers in the NFL with Benardrick McKinney. He is a huge, strong and tough linebacker who can take on blocks and free up Cunningham to be the Will - weak side - linebacker. That will reduce the number of blocks that Cunningham will have to take on as McKinney is very skilled at taking on and shedding blocks. That will allow Cunningham to run and chase using his speed and instincts to hunt down ball-carriers.

Cunningham also is very good in pass coverage, and Houston needed a linebacker who can cover backs out of the backfield as that hurt the team's No. 1 defense last year. Brian Cushing can't cover anymore, while McKinney is not well-suited for that role. Cunningham is, and as a rookie, he can rotate with Cushing. That will protect Cunningham as he can be a platoon player to ease into the NFL while he gains weight and strength for the pro game. Cushing is still decent as a run defender, and Cunningham can replace Cushing in passing situations. In a year then, Houston can move on from Cushing with Cunningham ready to take over. Along with McKinney, the Texans have superstar talent in J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus, who will get the attention from offenses. Other teams feel that Cunningham landed with the perfect team for him to pan out and turn into a difference-maker on one of the best defenses in the NFL.